Interview:1991/11 The Offspring Even Roe vs. Wade Couldn't Kill: Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids
The Offspring Even Roe vs. Wade Couldn't Kill: Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids | ||
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Interview with Marilyn Manson | ||
Date | November, 1991 | |
Source | Thrust Magazine 2nd Anniversary Issue | |
Interviewer | Mia |
On the seventh day the world's general contractor took a well deserved rest. He sat back in his easy chair and marveled at his finest creations. They all glimmered before his eyes: The yin and yang, the force of gravity and the living bra strawberry and chocolate flavored Quik, a starry sky, a temperamental ocean, Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson. They all met that same night during a candlelight dinner. Nine months later Marilyn spawned forth a stomping, screaming child. Banished by all that is balanced, the child was locked away in a womb nurtured only by the apparatus known as the news media. He sat blankly in the dim lit room staring at the television sets in panorama. Living, thinking, breathing, the nutrients force fed to him via satellite. He sat and developed until the day when one became five. They sat, they stared, they devoured the life force from which they came.
Kicking down the door they now offer the gift back to their giver. Regurgitating in technicolor and in stereo. Embrace this child and its counterparts, for Marilyn Manson in all its unpleasantness is society's creation.
Marilyn sat patiently. He looked around then gave me a grin.
"There's so much to say. Now where shall I begin?"
He tapped his fingers lightly when reviewing what to say.
"It's all simply complex life reflects what we play."
"Let me welcome you to the First Church of the Chocolate Cow."
He tipped his hat and graciously took a bow.
"In the beginning there was cow from which all good chocolate came. She gave forth her first born, so all may stay the same. Faith would save all a place in the grand chocolate factory. And the cow sent down her spirit in the form of a magical musical band that would help the bovine messiah lead the sweet tooth children to the promised land." Okay, stop with the Dr. Seuss verse. What we have here is the beginning of a Saturday morning cartoon with Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids. They whirlwind you back to a time of lunch boxes and inch worms. The point of their message is to get people to take action on something. If you don't like an action that society is working towards, do something about it. "We don't condone violence, racism, drug abuse... If you don't like what you see — take some action," Marilyn stated.
There is a lot more to this band than their social commentary, but they seem to be bringing back an era of art and characterization. To compare Marilyn to such performers as Iggy Pop or Peter Murphy would take away the individuality of what is actually being portrayed on stage — Marilyn is captivating. While on stage his movements resemble an animated skeleton with real life expression. It's very easy to feel his emotions — anger, hate, love and lust all have their own facial contortion as he romps about. The entire package, the band as a whole, completes the entire illusion, throwing back what the mass media taught them and others in their generation. And their message seems to be supported and spread throughout their fans.
Things seem to be going well for Marilyn and the Kids. Their shows are packed and full of that wonderful surprise entertainment. Just this past October, MM and the SK were invited to play at Atlanta's New South Music Conference. They sparked the interest of the music scene gurus and were asked to play New York's CMJ Convention during Halloween week. It seems that something is catching!
"Some people understand what we're doing and others don't" Marilyn said. "If they take time enough to understand our meaning, that's cool." These are the people they are targeted towards. The whole Marilyn Manson movement has a lot of satirical comment. Take for example the First Church of the Chocolate Cow - is this ritualistic dogma between their fans taken in the right context? What it seems to point out is that anyone can make up a ritualistic pattern, call it religion and control the minds of many. This is supported by the fact that one reason religion was brought about was a massive form of control. Hence Marilyn's point: Use your own judgement. Don't be lead like cattle.
Marilyn also used Dr. Seuss and childhood stories such as "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," bringing back all the illusion childhood provided. Call it the freedom of imagination for people to be what they want and express themselves the way they see fit. "We try to be anti-trendy. We've actually seen people change before our eyes and I like being a part of that. People have started being themselves more and that's great. People decide their own destiny and have the freedom to make up their own minds," Marilyn added.
The band expressed their individuality in many different ways. Along with the music and on stage antics, in the background they usually provide some type of characterization act with external band performers. These characters play the parts of the show's point. This brings back a 70's form of art rock. One past show, for example, Marilyn had a girl sitting in a play pen eating eggs, reminiscent of the classic scene from the cult film "Pink Flamingos."
Their shows are constantly changing, most recently with the addition of drummer Sarah Lee Lucas. The band has a focal point for its energy. The shows go from one extreme to the other, from clowns that blow bubbles and throw candy to the crowd, to women in bondage smeared with blood.
Their disregard for limitations offers a contradiction. "I show people their own fear. If people are afraid of being gay then they're going to think we're a bunch of fags. If people are real religious they're going to think we're satanic. Everything people say about us is more a reflection of what they think rather than what we think," Marilyn stated.
Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids — A fantasy illusion, sometimes disturbing and always strange will lead the willing to a surgical strategy taking apart the complexity, putting it in the views of imagination. A trip down the chocolate river into the tunnel of t.v. screens. If you're ready, you'll get an experience.